Charlie Robison, country music singer and songwriter, died on Sunday evening at the age of 59. His representatives confirmed his death to Fox News Digital. Robinson passed away at a hospital in San Antonio. His death was attributed to cardiac arrest and other complications, as reported by the Associated Press.
The singer's wife has requested that fans pray for her family following the announcement of his death. Robinson's death comes five years after he lost his voice owing to complications from an operation that forced him to retire from music at a young age. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners since news of his death was made public.
Gone too Soon
Robison, who was also a former judge on the USA Network's "Nashville Star" reality show, leaves behind four children. Three of his children are from his first marriage to Emily Strayer, who is a founding member of the superstar country band The Chicks.
Robison was deeply devoted to raw and gritty country music. He hailed from a family brimming with talent, including his brother, Bruce Robison, and sister, Robyn Ludwick, all contributing to the musical legacy of their family.
"Today my heart is broken in the deepest most irreparable way," Robyn wrote on social media. He also shared a picture of the pair on Facebook.
"My big brother Charlie passed away in the arms of his loved ones. Please play some Charlie Robison on Repeat. He would want it that way."
Robison began his music career in the late 1980s, performing with local Austin bands such as Two Hoots and a Holler before eventually forming his own band called the Millionaire Playboys.
In 1996, he released his solo debut album, 'Bandera,' which was named after the Texas Hill Country town where his family had a long-standing ranch.
In 1998, Sony approached him, and he signed with its Lucky Dog imprint, which focused on rawer country music. His 2001 album, 'Step Right Up,' featured his only Top 40 country song, "I Want You Bad."
Reaching the Peak and Sudden End of Career
Robison's breakup with Emily Strayer in 2008 served as inspiration for songs on his 2009 album, 'Beautiful Day.' During this period, he recorded the album while living across from the Greyhound bus station in San Antonio.
His living situation was described as a loft apartment with mismatched furniture and scattered beer bottles, which he humorously referred to as "the quintessential bachelor pad."
"People come up to me and say they´re going through something right now, and it´s like this is completely written about them," he said in 2009.
"I wasn´t meaning to do that, but it´s been a residual effect of the record."
Robison's final album, titled 'High Life,' released in 2013, featured a rock-tinged sound and included a cover of Bob Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece."
However, in 2018, he shared the heartbreaking news that he had permanently lost his ability to sing as a result of a surgical procedure on his throat. This marked a significant and unfortunate turning point in his musical career.
"With a very heavy heart I am officially retiring from the stage and studio," he wrote on Facebook.
"Gonna keep it short but just wanted y'all to hear it from me. I was looking forward to another 25 but as they say 's*** happens'.
"I thank you all for everything you've given me and I hope I was able to give you a fraction of the happiness you gave me.
"It's been an amazing ride and I cannot tell you all what the last 25 years has meant to me."
Fans have already been leaving tributes on his wife's Facebook page. "Charlie Robison was an OG in the Texas Music scene and his music changed the world and influenced countless artists and musicians," wrote one fan.
"Hearing Charlie when I was a teenager turned me on to Texas Country and my whole life hasn't been the same since," added Blake Swanson.
"This dude literally helped mold my life in some ways. Rest In Peace, brother."
